Kentucky basketball enters Mark Pope’s third season with plenty to prove.
The Wildcats remain one of college basketball’s most accomplished programs, but recent seasons have left Kentucky searching for the level of success that was once expected in Lexington. The Wildcats have not reached a Final Four since 2015, have not advanced to an Elite Eight since 2019, and their most recent SEC regular-season championship came in 2020. Kentucky also has not won the SEC Tournament since 2018.
Pope arrived at Kentucky with the goal of restoring the program to the top of college basketball, ultimately chasing the school’s ninth national championship. Entering Year 3, the expectations surrounding the program are only getting higher.
Three major questions could help determine how far this Kentucky team can go.
Can Kentucky Get Its 3-Point Shooting Back?
One of the biggest differences between Pope’s first two seasons was Kentucky’s effectiveness from beyond the arc.
The 2024-25 Wildcats shot 37.5% from three-point range, the best mark in the SEC. That number fell to 34.2% last season, dropping Kentucky outside the conference’s top half and outside the nation’s top 150 in three-point percentage.
This year’s roster appears better equipped to improve in that department.
Milan Momcilovic is expected to be a major part of the solution. The Iowa State transfer arrives in Lexington with an elite reputation as a perimeter shooter and could become one of Kentucky’s most important offensive weapons.
However, the Wildcats will need more than one reliable shooter.
Pope’s first Kentucky team had six players who shot at least 35% from three-point range. Last season, only three players reached that mark.
If Kentucky can surround Momcilovic with consistent shooting, the Wildcats could give defenses a much tougher problem.
Can Kentucky Handle the Physicality?
Mark Pope has repeatedly acknowledged that physicality could be one of Kentucky’s biggest challenges this season.
The Wildcats have plenty of length, athleticism and skill, but they do not have overwhelming size and strength across the entire roster.
“Everybody’s gotten so big and so physical, and that’s not us right now,” Pope said during an offseason interview with Jeff Goodman.
Kentucky does have some imposing players in the frontcourt.
Franck Kepnang provides a 7-foot, roughly 270-pound presence, while sophomore center Malachi Moreno is another 7-footer weighing around 250 pounds. Justin McBride also brings size at 6-foot-8 and 245 pounds.
Still, Kentucky will face opponents capable of attacking with strength and physicality throughout the season.
Pope believes the Wildcats can compensate with their length.
“Length is our strength,” he has repeatedly emphasized to his team.
Kentucky will need that length to make an impact defensively, contest shots, disrupt passing lanes and make life difficult for opponents.
Can Malachi Moreno Take a Major Step Forward?
This may be the biggest question of them all.
Malachi Moreno exceeded expectations during his freshman season. Instead of simply serving as a reserve behind Brandon Garrison, Moreno quickly earned a starting role and remained in the lineup.
He finished the season averaging 7.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game while leading Kentucky in rebounding and blocked shots with 1.47 per contest. He also shot an impressive 58.2% from the field and earned All-SEC Freshman Team honors.
Now, the expectations are considerably higher.
Moreno went through the NBA draft process before withdrawing and returning to Kentucky. His decision gives him another season to develop his game and become an even bigger part of Pope’s system.
One area Moreno reportedly wants to improve is his three-point shooting, which could make him a more versatile modern big man.
But his development cannot stop there.
With Otega Oweh no longer on the roster, Kentucky will need other players to provide consistent production. Moreno will also face a different challenge this season because opposing teams know exactly what he can do.
He will no longer be catching opponents by surprise.
Instead, Moreno will be a major focus of opposing scouting reports alongside players such as Momcilovic.
The question is whether he can turn a promising freshman campaign into a major sophomore breakout.
For Kentucky, the answer could have a significant impact on the team’s ceiling.
The Wildcats have the opportunity to take another step forward in Pope’s third season, but their progress could ultimately depend on how they shoot, how they handle physical opponents and how much Moreno develops.
BBN won’t have to wait much longer to find out.
